Firearm



M. A GILL Filed Sept 29, 1953 INVENTOR Mer/e G/// BY Patented June 19236 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIBEARM Application September 29, 1933, Serial No. 691,466

5 Claims.

My invention relates to firearms and more particularly to a device of that character to be supported in the palm ot the hand and fired by closing of the ngers against a ring collar and has for its principal objects to provide a firearm of this type which is not liable to accidental discharge and that is automatically recocked after ring.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a rearm of this character for discharging tear gas shells.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details o! structure, the preferred form oi which is illustrated In the accompanying drawing. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a firearm embodying the ieatures o! my invention and showing the method of holding the device for tiring a shell.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the parts of the device shown in disassembled spaced relation to better illustrate their construction.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the device showing a shell in position with the device cocked and ready for tiring.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the firing pin in retracted position and about to be released by the automatic trip for tiring the shell.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view oi the tiring pin latch.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a hand stock comprising a cylindrical body portion 2 provided with a substantially semi-spherical end l adapted to seat in the palm of the hand. I'he opposite end oi the stock is provided with a cylindrical bore 4 terminating in a reduced internally threaded socket 5 to mount a ring pin guide tube 6.

The firing pin tube i includes a sleeve having an externally threaded end I to engage in the threaded socket 5. The opposite end of the guide projects beyond the open end of the stock and is provided with internal threads l terminating in a stop shoulder 9 formed by the reduced bore I0 of the sleeve. The guide member is also provided substantially midway of its length with a rectangular slot II of sufficient length and width to accommodate the ring pin latch, as later described.

The ring pin is designated I2 and includes a 'cylindrical body portion I3 of suitable diameter to be snugly slidable in the bore I of the guide.

The rear end oi the pin I2 is provided with a spring socket I4 to receive one end oi' the ring pin spring I which has its other end housed within the guide and engaging against the bottom of the socket 5 to urge the pin toward flr- 5 ing position. The forward end of the pin is reduced in diameter to form a point I6 for rlng a shell I1.

The periphery of the body portion of the pin is also provided with an annular groove I8 forml0 ing a keeper or latch shoulder in which a latch I9 engages when the ring pin is cocked.

Threaded into the outer end of the ring pin guide tube and engaging against the shoulder 9 is a breech block having a cup shaped recess 15 2| at its rear end and a flat forward face or seat 22 against which the base 23 0i the shell abuts. The breech block is also provided with a central axial opening 24 to permit projection of the point oi the tiring pin therethrough. as shown in Fig. 3. 2O

The tiring barrel 25 of the device is of substantially the same outer diameter as the outer diameter of the tiring pin guide and its inner diameter is of suitable bore to accommodate the size oi shell II to be used therein. The breech 25 end 26 of the barrel is reduced in diameter and externally threaded as at 2'I to be mounted in the threads of the tiring tube and is of suilicient length so that when the end face 28 thereof engages the rim 29 of the shell the opposite side 30 oi the rim is clamped tightly against the dat face 22 of the breech block and the shoulder I0 formed by the reduced breech is tightly engaged with the end oi the firing pin tube.

In order to move the firing pin into retractive position, I provide a tiring collar 3l which is slidably mounted on the guide and has its rear end slidable within the bore 4 of the stock I, as now to be described. 40

The member 3i comprises a cylindrical sleeve 32 of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the bore 4 and has its ends provided with internally extending anges 33 and 34 to slidably bear upon the rear end of the barrel 25 and ring 45 pin guide tube 6 respectively and whereby the sleeve is spaced therefrom to form a housing for the spring latch I9. The ring collar is normally retained in projected position relatively to the stock by a coiled spring 35 sleeved over the guide 50 and having one end engaging the bottom of the bore 4 and its opposite end the ange 34.

The latch I9 is formed of at spring metal having a flat body portion 36 terminating in a rearwardly extending tongue 31 having a down- 55 wardly curved end 3B operable in the slot il and adapted to engage an inclined end 39 of the slot to eiect release of a firing pin, as later described. Formed integrally with the body portion of the latch at opposite sides of the tongue 31 are inwardly extending ears 40 and 4I adapted to engage in the groove I8 formed in the firing pin when the firing pin is in projected position.

The latch spring is retained in position within the tiring collar by fastening devices extending through an opening 42 in the collar and through an opening 43 in the spring and is retained in parallel relation with the axis of the guide tube by the ears 40 and 4i and the curved portion of the tongue which extend into the slot for engaging with the periphery of the ring pin.

In assembling a device constructed as described, the tiring pin guide tube 6 is screwed in the socket 5 of the hand stock. The ring pin spring I5 and the firing pin i2 are then sleeved within the tube guide. The breech block 20 is then threaded into the open end of the tube until it seats against the shoulder 9.

The cocking spring 35 and the ring collar are then sleeved over the guide tube so that the rear ends thereof enter within the open end of the hand stock, whereupon the ears 40 and 4| drop into the slotted opening Il in the tube and enter the annular recess in the firing pin. The ears then latch the firing collar against tension of the spring I5 since they engage with the end 44 oi' the slot Il opposite the inclined end $9, previously described.

A shell i1 is inserted into the breech of the barrel 25 so that the rim 29 thereof seats against the breech. 'Ihe barrel is then screwed into the end oi the ring pin guide tube until the base of the shell engages the breech block. The ring arm is then cocked. loaded and in condition for tiring.

To lire the shell, the device is held in the hand with the stock engaging the palm thereof and the barrel extending between the fingers. as shown in Fig. l.

The fingers are then drawn back against the tiring collar to move it retractively within the bore oi' the hand stock.

Since the ears 40 and 4| are seated in the groove IU in the ring pin. the firing pin will also be moved retractively against the tension oi' its spring I5 until the curved end 38 engages the inclined end 39 of the slot. Additional movement oi the sleeve then causes the tongue to be cammed upwardly against the tension of the latch spring to withdraw the ears 40 and 4i from the annular recess i8 o! the tiring pin so that the tiring pin is released and driven by the stored up tension of the tiring pin spring against the tiring center of the shell I1 to explode the shell.

Upon release of the iingers from the tiring collar the cocking spring 34 returns the collar to normal position and restores the ears 38 and 39 to engagement with the recess of the ring pin to again couple the collar therewith so that the device is in position for tiring upon retraction of the collar, as above described.

A new shell may then be inserted by removing the barrel, inserting the shell in the barrel and replacing the barrel in the end of the ring pin tube. as above described.

The rearm is then loaded and ready cocked so that when the device is to be used the shell may be iired simply by retracting the rng collar against tension o1' the spring.

It is thus apparent that since the device is automatically cocked after each ring operation, it is not neceary to cock the ring collar prior to retraction of the firing pin.

It is also apparent that due to resistance of the spring 34, the tiring collar cannot be accidentally moved to firing position.

While a firearm constructed and assembled as described is ladapted for use in firing various types oi shells, it is particularly adaptable for ring a tear gas or similar shell and there is no danger of accidentally discharging the gas when the firearm is carried in the pocket of the owner.

If the device is to be used for tiring tear gas shells only. it may be desirable to prevent its use for tiring a bullet, and in this instance, a pin 46 is inserted transversely of the bore of the barrel to preclude such use, otherwise the pin will be eliminated.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the character described. a hand stock provided with a tubular socket and having a threaded recess forming an annular shoulder with the bottom of the socket. a ring pin guide tube having a threaded end engaging in said threaded recess of the hand stock. a barrel member carried by the outer end of the guide tube. a tiring pin slidable in the guide tube, a spring in the guide tube for urging the lring pin to tiring position` a sleeve member having an imperforate annular wail slidable over the guide tube and barrel member and having one end slidable within the socket of the hand stock, latch means within and completely enclosed by said sleeve member for engaging the iiring pin to move the firing pin when the sleeve member is moved retractively on the guide tube, a spring sleeved on the guide tube and having one end engaging said annular shoulder and its other end engaging the sleeve member to normally retain the latch means in engagement with the firing pin. cam means on the guide tube for releasing the latch means when the sleeve member is moved within said socket against tension ot the spring that is sleeved on the guide tube, and a breech block mounted in the guide tube and cooperating with the barrel for retaining a shell in ring position in the barrel.

2. In a device of the character described, a iiring pin guide tube. a hand stock provided with a tubular socket of larger diameter than the guide tube, means securing the guide tube concentrically within the bottom of the socket, a firing pin slidable in the guide tube. a tiring sleeve having an imperforate annular wall movable over the guide tube and within said socket of the hand stock, latch means completely enclosed within the firing sleeve for normally connecting the firing sleeve with the tiring pin to move the ring pin when the firing sleeve is moved in one direction, means on the guide tube for releasing the latch means, a spring in the guide tube for urging the firing pin to tiring position when released by the latch means, and a spring sleeved on the tube for moving the firing sleeve to effect reengagement of the latch means.

3. In a device of the character described` a ring pin guide tube, a barrel cooperating with the tiring pin guide tube, a hand stock supporting the guide tube and provided with a tubular portion, a ring pin slidable in the guide tube, a ring pin spring in the guide tube having one end engaging the firing pin to urge the firing pin to ring position, a sleeve member having an imperforate annular wall snugly slide-ble within the tubular portion of the hand stock and having inwardly extending annular end iianges slidable respectively upon said guide tube and barrel, latch means iixed within and completely enclosed by the sleeve member for connecting the tiring pin with the sleeve member to effect compression of the nring pin spring when the sleeve member is moved toward the hand stock, means associated with said guide tube to eect release oi' said latch means, and means for automatically returning the sleeve member for eecting reengagement of the ring pin.

4. In a device of the character described, a nring pin guide tube having a slotted opening therein, a hand stock supporting the guide tube and having a tubular portion, a nring pin slidable in the guide tube and having an annular recess therein in registry with said slotted opening, a tiring pin spring in the guide tube for urging the rlng pin to firing position, a sleeve member having an imperforate annular wall snugly slidable within the tubular portion of the hand stock and having inwardly extending annular iianges cooperating with the imperiorate wall to completely cover the slotted opening in the guide tube. a latch member fixed to and enclosed within the sleeve member and having an ear extending through said slot for engaging the recess and having a tongue for engaging the guide tube to release said ear from the recess when the sleeve is moved in one direction over the hand stock to cause the firing pin spring to move the firing pin to tiring position, and a spring sleeved on the guide tube and having its ends respectively engaging the hand stock and sleeve member for returning the sleeve member to reengage the lip member with the tiring pin.

5. In a device of the character described. a. hand stock having a tubular socket, a firing pin guide tube nxed ccmcentrically within the socket. a barrel member connected in axial alignment with the guide tube, a tiring pin slidable in the guide tube, a tiring pin spring housed within the guide tube for normally urging the tiring pin to ring position, a nring sleeve snugly slidable within the tubular socket of the hand stock and having an annular gripping portion snugly slidable upon the barrel member, latching means completely enclosed within the sleeve member for releasably actuating the tiring pin upon movement of the tiring sleeve to load said firing pin spring. and a tiring sleeve spring housed within the socket of the hand stock for returning the iiring sleeve.

MERIE A. GILL. 

